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in his stead。 Our text says also； that Jesus Christ bids preachers；
in their preaching repentance and remission of sins； begin first at
Jerusalem； thereby declaring most truly the infinite largeness of the
merciful heart of God and his Son； to the sinful children of men。
Judge thou； I say； therefore； of the goodness of the heart of God and
his Son； by this text； and by others of the same import； so shalt
thou not dishonour the grace of God； nor needlessly fright thyself；
nor give away thy faith； nor gratify the devil； nor lose the benefit
of his word。 I speak now to weak believers。
Secondly； Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in the first place to
the biggest sinners； to the Jerusalem sinners？ then； by this also；
you must learn to judge of the sufficiency of the merits of Christ；
not that the merits of Christ can be comprehended； for that they are
beyond the conceptions of the whole world； being called the
unsearchable riches of Christ； but yet they may be apprehended to a
considerable degree。 Now； the way to apprehend them most； is； to
consider what offers； after his resurrection； he makes of his grace
to sinners； for to be sure he will not offer beyond the virtue of his
merits； because； as grace is the cause of his merits； so his merits
are the basis and bounds upon and by which his grace stands good； and
is let out to sinners。
Doth he then command that his mercy should be offered in the first
place to the biggest sinners？ It declares； that there is sufficiency
in his blood to save the biggest sinners。 The blood of Jesus Christ
cleanseth from all sin。 And again； 〃Be it known unto you therefore；
men and brethren； that through this man （this man's merits） is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins： and by him all that
believe are justified from all things； from which ye could not be
justified by the law of Moses；〃 Acts xiii。 38。
Observe then thy rule to make judgment of the sufficiency of the
blessed merits of thy Saviour。 If he had not been able to have
reconciled the biggest sinners to his Father by his blood； he would
not have sent to them； have sent to them in the first place； the
doctrine of remission of sins； for remission of sins is through faith
in his blood。 We are justified freely by the grace of God； through
the redemption that is in the blood of Christ。 Upon the square； as I
may call it； of the worthiness of the blood of Christ； grace acts；
and offers forgiveness of sin to men； Eph。 i。 7； chap。 ii。 13； 14；
Col。 i。 20…22。
Hence； therefore； we must gather； that the blood of Christ is of
infinite value； for that he offereth mercy to the biggest of sinners。
Nay； further； since he offereth mercy in the first place to the
biggest sinners； considering also； that this first act of his is that
which the world will take notice of and expect it should be continued
unto thee end。 Also it is a disparagement to a man that seeks his
own glory in what he undertakes； to do that for a sport； which he
cannot continue and hold out in。 This is our Lord's own argument；
〃He began to build；〃 saith he； 〃but was not able to finish；〃 Luke
xiv。 28。
Shouldst thou hear a man say； I am resolved to be kind to the poor；
and should begin with giving handfuls of guineas； you would conclude；
that either he is wonderful rich； or must straiten his hand； or will
soon be at the bottom of his riches。 Why； this is the case： Christ；
at his resurrection； gave it out that he would be good to the world；
and first sends to the biggest sinners； with an intent to have mercy
on them。 Now； the biggest sinners cannot be saved but by abundance
of grace； it is not a little that will save great sinners； Rom。 v。
17。 And I say again； since the Lord Jesus mounts thus high at the
first； and sends to the Jerusalem sinners； that they may come first
to partake of his mercy； it follows； that either he has unsearchable
riches of grace and worth in himself； or else he must straiten his
hand； or his grace and merits will be spent before the world is at an
end。 But let it be believed； as surely as spoken； he is still as
full as ever。 He is not a jot the poorer for all the forgivenesses
that he has given away to great sinners。 Also he is still as free as
at first； for he never yet called back this word； Begin at the
Jerusalem sinners。 And； as I said before； since his grace is
extended according to the worth of his merits； I conclude； that there
is the same virtue in his merits to save now； as there was at the
very beginning。
Oh！ the riches of the grace of Christ！ Oh！ the riches of the blood
of Christ！
Thirdly； Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in the first place to
the biggest sinners； then here is encouragement for you that think；
for wicked hearts and lives； you have not your fellows in the world；
yet to come to him。
There is a people that therefore fear lest they should be rejected of
Jesus Christ； because of the greatness of their sins； when； as you
see here； such are sent to； sent to by Jesus Christ to come to him
for mercy； 〃Begin at Jerusalem。〃 Never did one thing answer another
more fitly in this world； than this text fitteth such kind of
sinners。 As face answereth face in a glass； so this text answereth
the necessities of such sinners。 What can a man say more； but that
he stands in the rank of the biggest sinners？ let him stretch himself
whither he can； and think of himself to the utmost； he can but
conclude himself to be one of the biggest sinners。 And what then？
Why the text meets him in the very face； and saith； Christ offereth
mercy to the biggest sinners； to the very Jerusalem sinners。 What
more can be objected？ Nay； he doth not only offer to such his mercy；
but to them it is commanded to be offered in the first place； 〃Begin
at Jerusalem。〃 Preach repentance and remission of sins among all
nations。 〃Begin at Jerusalem。〃 Is not here encouragement for those
that think； for wicked hearts and lives； they have not their fellows
in the world？
Object。 But I have a heart as hard as a rock。
Answ。 Well； but this doth but prove thee a bigger sinner。
Object。 But my heart continually frets against the Lord。
Answ。 Well； this doth but prove thee a bigger sinner。
Object。 But I have been desperate in sinful courses。
Answ。 Well； stand thou with the number of the biggest sinners。
Object。 But my grey head is found in the way of wickedness。
Answ。 Well； thou art in the rank of the biggest sinners。
Object。 But I have not only a base heart； but I have lived a
debauched life。
Answ。 Stand thou also among those that are called the biggest
sinners。 And what then？ Why the text swoops you all； you cannot
object yourselves beyond the text。 It has a particular message to
the biggest sinners。 I say； it swoops you all。
Object。 But I am a reprobate。
Answ。 Now thou talkest like a fool； and of that thou understandest
not： no sin； but the sin of final impenitence； can prove a man a
reprobate； and I am sure thou hast not arrived as yet unto that；
therefore thou understandest not what thou sayest； and makest
groundless conclusions against thyself。 Say thou art a sinner； and I
will hold with thee； say thou art a great sinner； and I will say so
too； yea； say thou art one of the biggest sinners； and spare not； for
the text yet is beyond thee； is yet betwixt he and thee； 〃Begin at
Jerusalem；〃 has yet a smile upon thee； and thou talkest as if thou
wast a reprobate； and that the greatness of thy sins do prove thee so
to be； when yet they of Jerusalem were not such； whose sins； I dare
say； were such； both for bigness and heineousness； as thou art
incapable of committing beyond them； unless now； after thou hast
received conviction that the Lord Jesus is the only Saviour of the
world； thou shouldst wickedly and despitefully turn thyself from him；
and conclude he is not to be trusted to for life； and so crucify him
for a cheat afresh。 This； I must confess； will bring a man under the
black rod； and set him in danger of eternal damnation； Heb。 vi。 6：
chap。 x。 29。 This is trampling under foot the Son of God； and
counting his blood an unholy thing。 This did they of Jerusalem； but
they did it ignorantly in unbelief； and so were yet capable of mercy：
but to do this against professed light； and to stand to it； puts a
man beyond the text indeed； Acts iii。 14…17； 1 Tim。 i。 13。
But I say； what is this to him that would fain be saved by Christ？
His sins did； as to greatness； never yet reach to the nature of the
sins that the sinners intended by the text； had made themselves
guilty of。 He that would be saved by Christ； has an honourable
esteem of him； but they of Jerusalem preferred a murderer before him；
but as for him； they cried； Away； away with him； it is not fit that
he should live。 Perhaps thou wilt object； That thyself hast a
thousand times preferred a stinking lust before him： I answer； Be it
so； it is but what is common to men to do； nor doth the Lord Jesus
make such a foolish life a bar to thee； to forbid thy coming to him；
or a bond to his grace； that it might be kept from thee； but admits
of thy repentance； and offereth himself unto thee freely； as thou
standest among the Jerusalem